


Labour Day

by emilysmortimer



Category: The Newsroom (US TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 08:13:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25700107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emilysmortimer/pseuds/emilysmortimer
Summary: Will’s out of town when he gets a call from Jim: Mackenzie’s gone into labour. It’s a race against the clock. Will Will get there in time for the birth of their baby?
Relationships: Will McAvoy/MacKenzie McHale
Comments: 7
Kudos: 17





	Labour Day

**Author's Note:**

> I think something like this has been written before, but I loved the idea of it so I just had to write this story!
> 
> It’s a Will/Mackenzie story first, but a Jim/Mackenzie friendship story second.
> 
> I’m not entirely sure I like the way it turned out, but I hope you enjoy it. Please leave comments!

He knew he shouldn’t have gone, knew it was a risk considering how close they were to her due date. But she’d insisted, and he’s always found it difficult to say no to her. Even when they were at the worst. 

So he’d flown out to Nebraska to visit his sister. It’d been a while, and he’d been promising for ages that he’d carve out some time in his busy schedule. But he kept coming up with excuses, not particularly fond of the idea of returning to his hometown, which was riddled with bad memories. 

But Mackenzie had told him he was being an idiot (the as usual unspoken, but implied), and had pushed him to book a trip, even if it was just a long weekend. And he’d complied.

Because it was Mackenzie. 

And she was usually right. 

But now here he was, racing down the highway after having gotten on the next flight after receiving Jim’s call. 

Because his wife was in labour. And of course he wasn’t there. 

____________________

They’d seen each other at their worst - him having just been shot in the ass, and her having been stabbed and bleeding out in his arms, and not to mention the numerous times she’d broken down in the middle of the night at their camp, sobbing over Will and all the mistakes that she’d made. 

But this, this was different. 

Mackenzie was in agony. She was on her feet, doubled over and leaning against the edge of the bed as Jim coaxed her through a particularly painful contraction. 

He was in over his head. He’d never done anything like this before. But he was trying his hardest, because he loved Mackenzie with everything he had - she was his best friend, and she needed him, and he’ll be damned if he doesn’t at least try and help. 

“I’m going to hold this against Will for the rest of his life,” Mackenzie tells him through gritted teeth. “If he even thinks of starting an argument with me again, I’ll remind him of the pain I went through just to give birth to his kid.”

Jim chuckles, because it’s easy to imagine. 

“Anything I can get you?” he asks her as the contraction passes, helping her ease down onto the bed. 

She shakes her head in response, grasping for his hand as he goes to move away. His heart breaks for her, sees the slight gleam of tears in her eyes (and he’s not entirely sure if they’re from the pain, fear, or the fact that her husband has yet to walk through the door, but either way, it hurts to see her so vulnerable). 

He sits with her, struggling to find something to say. But she’s happy with the silence at the moment. It’s a relief to find an ounce of peace amongst this seemingly never ending storm. 

She rests her head against his shoulder, and he holds her tight, both of them silently eyeing the clock and praying that Will shows up in time. 

____________________

He hears her before he sees her; her cry of agony is coming from somewhere down the corridor. Will speeds up, all too aware of how badly his knee will ache tomorrow, but unable to care. Because his wife needs him, and he’s so, so close. 

Bursting through the door without knocking first, he comes to a halt and surveys the scene in front of him. Mackenzie is on her back on the bed, her face screwed up in pain, Jim beside her, his knuckles white from how tightly his hand is wrapped up in Mac’s. 

“Mackenzie,” Will breathes out, and her eyes snap open upon hearing him. She lets out a sob of relief when she sees him, and he wastes no more time. 

He’s at her side within seconds, taking over from Jim, who quietly backs away. Will leans over Mackenzie, presses his forehead to hers as he takes her hand, and repeatedly informs her of how sorry he is, that he’s here now, that he’s got her, that she’s going to be okay. 

“You’re never allowed to go away again,” she tells him, and he bites his tongue, because the trip had been her idea after all. But now’s not the time to bring that up. 

“Never,” he agrees. He breaks out into a grin, and despite the pain, she smiles back at him. Their world shrinks down to just them, and they almost miss Jim slipping out of the room. 

Almost. 

“Thank you, Jim,” Mackenzie tells him softly as she catches him making his escape, and he simply nods his head in response before closing the door behind him. 

After everything she’s been through, Jim is thrilled that his best friend has finally found the happiness that she deserves. And he just knows that she’s going to be the best mother. 

____________________

It’s hours later, but it’s finally over. And they’re both feeling slightly overwhelmed. 

They’re both wrapped up in the hospital bed, their daughter in Mackenzie’s arms, Mackenzie in Will’s, and a peaceful silence has enraptured them as they focus on their little miracle. 

Ten tiny toes and ten tiny fingers (they’ve both counted numerous times), she’s everything they could have hoped for and more. 

She’s a small baby, and Will is almost worried that he’ll break her when Mackenzie transfers her into his arms. But he’s gentle with her, tucking the small bundle of baby and blanket against his chest, his index finger rubbing lightly over her cheek. 

“I can’t believe she’s finally here,” Mackenzie whispers into the quiet room, her voice heavy with emotion. It feels like forever ago that they found out they were going to be parents, the months dragging on as their excitement and fear both grew. 

But they finally have their baby, and Will already couldn’t imagine life without her. 

He hums his agreement, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips as the baby yawns, the simple gesture making his heart ache. 

God, she’s already got him wrapped around her little finger. He’d do anything for his little girl. And despite his worries that he’s going to be a terrible dad, Will knows he’ll do anything to prevent that from happening. He’s nothing like his own father, who wasn’t built to love anyone else. And he knows he’ll never do anything to intentionally hurt their baby. 

A light rap on the door breaks the silence, and they both drag their eyes away from their daughter long enough to see Jim poke his head round the door

“I hope I’m not interrupting,” he says. 

“Of course not,” Mackenzie tells him gently, and he makes his way into the room, careful to not let the door slam behind him. 

He breaks out into a grin as he makes his way over to the bed, leaning into the way Mackenzie presses a kiss against his cheek, a silent thank you for all his help. 

Will rises slowly from the bed, makes his way round to Jim who meets him in the middle. 

“Jim, meet little Charlotte Harper,” Will tells him as he hands the baby over to the other man, whose breath catches slightly in his throat. 

“She’s beautiful,” Jim states as he takes the little girl into his arms, chest puffing out slightly with pride upon hearing her name. 

He stays with them for a long time, bundled up in a chair beside the bed, simply adoring the baby. Mackenzie falls asleep shortly after his arrival, and Will wraps himself around her, holds her as she rests heavily against him, understandably exhausted from the day. 

Neither Will nor Jim say much, just allow the silence to consume them once more. 

And Jim finds himself overcome with pride again as he glances over at his best friend. 

She’s come so far since he met her; she’s the bravest person he knows. 

And he’s glad she’s finally happy.


End file.
